Cockroaches are not a structural pest in that they do not do physical damage to buildings or surroundings; however, they can be a significant health concern and a difficult nuisance. Cockroaches can contaminate food products with their bodies or their waste products; they may also leave a disturbing odor in areas where infestation has taken place. Foraging cockroaches can also be vectors of disease, depositing germs or bacteria in areas that they infest and causing attacks of asthma in some people prone to reactions to cockroaches.
How to Prevent a Cockroach Invasion
Cockroaches are a disgusting pest to have in one’s home; however, there are some great ways to limit the risk of cockroach infestation. Sanitation and cleanliness are the most important tools in your arsenal against cockroaches; cockroaches love to dwell in areas that are poorly cleaned, and will usually gravitate towards those areas where there is adequate food, water, and shelter for them. In restaurants that are not cleaned thoroughly, for example, it become nearly impossible to completely eradicate cockroaches. Special attention to cleanliness and sanitation — particularly in the kitchen(s) and bathroom(s) — will be very beneficial. Caulking and sealing small gaps underneath doors and in windows as well interior molding, anywhere they can touch their front and backs is also a great way to keep roaches out. It is always harder to get cockroaches out of your home than it is to prevent them in the first place.
In some situations, cockroaches will become a problem due to factors outside of your control. In multifamily housing situations where there are shared walls with plumbing, you may have a neighbor next door (or elsewhere in the building) whose behavior is contributing to an existing cockroach problem.